How to Observe Earth Day Every Day

As we all know, Earth Day is approaching, and there are many things we do during the weeks surrounding the holiday to honor our planet, such as planting more trees and driving less. But what can we do during the other 11 months?

Conserving energy at home

Any effort, no matter how small, reduces the lasting impact pollution and overuse will have on our earth. Protecting the environment can begin with simple changes made at home. As it is getting warmer, many people are driven to turn on their air conditioners. Instead, for as long as you can, try opening a few windows to cool your house down. By doing this you are conserving valuable energy, as well as cutting down your electricity bill! Another way to conserve energy at home is by reducing your water use. Water is a valuable resource that should not be wasted, and it unfortunately often is. There are many ways to preserve water, starting simply with things such as not leaving the water running while brushing your teeth, or not taking excessively long showers. Another thing you can do is wash larger loads of laundry rather than multiple smaller loads, or even hand-wash your clothes. Washing machines use up a very large amount of water, and so do dish washers. Limit loads in the dishwasher to full loads only. Lastly, unplug! A ton of energy is being used and wasted by appliances that are plugged in, but not in use; TVs, phones, lamps, printers, etc. Do not leave appliances plugged in charging overnight, as they are still using energy even when they are finished charging.

Garden

Gardening and growing your own produce is a fun and efficient way to help the environment. According to a 2020 report from US Green Technology, plants and gardens naturally clean the air through the process of photosynthesis. By producing oxygen, plants take in carbon dioxide and help recycle it. Gardens also help improve air and soil quality, call for less preservatives in soil, increase bio-diversity, and help reduce waste through the cycle of composting. By buying your fruits and vegetables and beginning to grow your own, you are eating and growing food without sprayed- on preservatives or pesticides.

Limit use of plastic

An additional, very simple thing you can do to help improve the state of our environment is to use less plastic. Since plastic cannot be broken down like trash, it contributes to pollution which is very harmful to humans, animals, and plants. The environmental damage is irreversible, and humans use a ton of plastic, which causes a ton of pollution. According to National Geographic, plastic pollution is currently one of the biggest threats to the environment.

A few things you can do to limit your use of plastic:

-switch to reusable water bottles rather than plastic

-buy reusable grocery bags rather than use plastic ones

-reuse things such as storage containers

-do not ask for plastic silverware when you get takeout

-avoid using plastic straws

-buy in bulk

Saving our planet starts with us. If everyone makes a small change, it will make a huge impact. No effort is too small- pick one from the list, or visit the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions for more facts and ideas on how to help. https://www.c2es.org/

Happy Earth Day!